


Vacation Observations

by cantdrawshaw



Series: Blind!Kara AU [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex's POV, Alternate Universe - Human, Disabled Character, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 18:29:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11834517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantdrawshaw/pseuds/cantdrawshaw
Summary: After Lillian's trial, the Danvers sisters take Lena and Maggie on a much-needed vacation to Midvale.Direct sequel to Guiding Light.





	Vacation Observations

**Author's Note:**

> Alex's POV and Sanvers-heavy because I needed it. (Hope no one minds.) Thought it shook it up a little, anyway.

Alex Danvers was _not_ annoyed.

She was definitely not annoyed with her sister and her sister’s girlfriend, a woman she actually truly liked and respected, because they were playing a _game_.

Not annoyed. Nope. Not in the slightest. At least that’s what she kept trying to convince herself.

(Her attempts at holding back, however, only lasted a half-hour before she snapped.)

“Would you two knock it off back there?”

(In her defense, she was pretty sure anyone would be annoyed in the situation she was currently in – stuck in a car for hours, nearing lunch time – no matter how much they loved their sister.)

Alex regretted her harsh tone as soon as she saw Lena’s face fall, hands held out in front of her, one facing up, and the other down. Kara simply glared in the direction of the passenger seat, her own hands mirroring Lena’s.

“I’m teaching her the game!” Kara shot back, indignantly. “She’s never played Concentration before, Alex. We used to play all the time. You never complained then.”

Guilty feeling or not, Alex had had enough of the incessant clapping that had pervaded her eardrums for a good twenty minutes too many. So she fought back. “That was when we were kids, Kara. You’ve been _teaching_ her the game for twenty-five minutes and since neither Lena nor you have managed to mess up in all that time, I think it’s safe to say she’s learned it.”

“Spoilsport,” Kara grumbled. “What else are we supposed to? You got mad at us earlier because we were, apparently, being ‘too cute’ with our hair braiding.  And before that when we were kissing, it was, ‘Get a room, you two.’”

“It’s okay, Kara,” Maggie interrupted them, pulling one hand off of the steering wheel to rub Alex’s knee. “We’re almost there. Then we’ll get some food into Ms. Grumpy-Pants over here and all will be well.”

Alex huffed, but couldn’t deny anything as her stomach chose that moment to growl audibly. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she apologized, making sure to catch Lena’s eye. “I’m not mad, I swear. Do whatever you want. Just make it a little quieter.”

“We’ll whisper-clap,” Kara declared, demonstrating for Alex. Her hands came together three times, but with significantly less noise than before. “We still need to determine a winner since you so rudely interrupted us.”

“Fine,” Alex agreed, fading the radio that was playing softly up to the front to compensate. “But my bet’s on Lena.”

Kara stuck her tongue out at her and Lena smiled mischievously, giving her a wink. They started up the game again, but this time at a tolerable volume level. Alex settled in for another thirty minute round, trying not to roll her eyes.

She could do this for her sister. Or at least for Lena, who certainly needed a little fun after the week she had had. Alex sighed resignedly, her fingers intertwining with Maggie’s.

‘Anything’ was declared as the category, and then Kara took her first turn.

“Potstickers,” Kara said.

_Clap, clap, clap_.

“Pizza,” Lena replied.

_Clap, clap, clap._

“I–” Kara faltered. “I was going to say that!” 

And just like that, the game was over. Alex snorted with laughter, just as they passed the exit sign for Midvale. She guessed she could make it after all.

…

“Oh, it’s so good to see you girls!”

Kara and Alex were tackled into a hug before they could even make it to the front porch. It had been a little since Eliza’s last trip to National City, and judging by the way all three of them squeezed each other, they had all noticed.

Eliza released her daughters and turned to Maggie and Lena, who had hung back to give the family their moment. “Hello, Maggie, dear,” Eliza pressed a kiss to Maggie’s cheek, as the two had met on multiple occasions now.

“And you must be Lena.” Eliza turned to the final party member, smiling warmly and holding out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Kara’s told me so much about you.”

Lena blushed slightly, and it hit Alex then that maybe the woman was a little nervous. She quickly composed herself, though, as she shook Eliza’s hand. “She’s told me a lot about you, too. The pleasure is mine.”

Eliza put her hand on Kara’s arm, taking the bag that Kara was holding. “Why don’t I help you girls with your bags and we head inside so you can start settling in? I have some refreshments ready in the kitchen. And Kara dear, I’ll show you around a bit. I’ve done some rearranging since your last visit.”

Alex led Maggie and Lena into the kitchen/dining area while Eliza helped Kara. The three of them were greatly relieved to see some lemonade and a plate of sandwiches set out, waiting for them. The drive had been long and they hadn’t stopped, wanting to get to Midvale as quickly as possible.

Alex nearly chugged a glass of lemonade and demolished a sandwich before it occurred to her that she really ought to be a better host. Neither of the other women seemed to mind though, as they both helped themselves to the food and drinks as well. Maggie was looking around excitedly, having wolfed her sandwich nearly as fast as Alex. Lena was fidgeting slightly as she picked hers apart with her fingers, her gaze drawn to something on the counter.

And, _oh._ Alex started as she saw the magazine lying there, with the mugshot and the title “Another Luthor Behind Bars.” Saw the way Lena suddenly couldn’t meet her eyes and the way she swirled the liquid in the glass she was holding, like she was looking for something to distract her from her uneasiness.

“Hey,” Alex said softly, placing her hand on Lena’s arm. She used the other hand to flip the magazine over, revealing a back cover of harmless advertisements. “My mom is really excited to meet you, I promise. And Kara’s super excited to show you Midvale. Let’s try and have some fun, okay? That’s what vacations are for. To forget about that real world for a while.”

Lena smiled gratefully, but it wasn’t until the others joined them in the kitchen, Kara tucking into her girlfriend’s side as she devoured two sandwiches, that the uneasiness truly melted from her eyes. Alex couldn’t help but compare it the way Maggie soothed her, and she was suddenly very glad Lena had found someone like Kara to do that for her.

Heaven knew the poor woman needed it.

…

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and showing the two visitors around, Kara insisting that Maggie and Lena see the beach and the boardwalk and all the cafes and shops and other places they used to hang out in ( _as soon as possible, Alex_ ). Alex indulged her, as she knew Maggie had grown up in the middle of nowhere and judging by the way Lena was taking everything in, this was a new experience for her too.

But Alex was a bit on edge, especially after the fifth encounter they had with a forgotten, but still familiar, face. All kinds of people were recognizing Kara, and kept stopping them to say hello and catch up. Not one of them seemed to notice Alex, however, and she had gotten five different versions of, “ _Alex?_ I didn’t even recognize you!” when Kara pointed out her sister.

“Geez, Danvers,” Maggie remarked after a classmate of Kara’s walked away, still googly-eyed after realizing who Alex was. “Did you ever show your face around here or did you just hide behind a book all the time?”

“I did all kinds of things when I was younger. Not just studying,” Alex grumbled, trying to defend herself. “My hair was a lot different last time most of these people saw me. And well… yeah. It’s probably just that. It’s been awhile.”

“Hah!” Kara laughed. “Just your hair? You forgot your clothes _and_ your attitude. Not to mention, the wild-party-girl-thing you had going on for a while there.”

Maggie and Lena both gaped at Alex at that, and Kara seemed to sense their shock. “What?” she asked Maggie. “She never told you about her goth phase in high school?”

“No,” Maggie squeaked. “I knew about the partying thing, but not… What kind of goth we talking about?” She smirked, raising her eyebrows at Alex.

“Please tell me there are pictures,” Lena added. “This is something that I have to see.”

“It’s nothing like what you’re thinking of,” Alex tried. “I just wore a lot of black. And my hair was darker. And longer. And the partying didn’t start until I moved to the city.” She addressed the last part with some venom in Kara’s direction, who simply grinned at her.

“And now nobody here recognizes you because you’re a changed woman,” Kara explained gleefully. “Tied-down and happy,” she teased. She gave Alex a little nudge with her elbow and turned to Maggie and Lena. “And I know for a fact Eliza has photos. She hid the album last time we were here so Alex couldn’t trash the evidence.”

Lena laughed, her fingers wrapped tightly with Kara’s, and Alex looked her dead in the eye. “This is not what I meant when I said ‘have fun’,” she muttered.

But she could only roll her eyes at the obvious delight – not to mention intrigue – on her companions’ faces, knowing that keeping those photos from ever seeing the light again was a lost cause.

(And sure enough, they were the first thing Kara asked for after they had gone back home for the day.)

…

Eliza made dinner that night, and they all sat down to enjoy, with only a few jokes from Maggie and Lena about how Eliza’s cooking skills hadn’t passed down to her daughters. Alex had gotten over any lingering embarrassment, and was glad to see Lena at ease, as she and Eliza discussed everything from recent scientific discoveries, to how L-Corp was doing, to how Lena managed to run such a large company, by herself, _at her age_.

It wasn’t until Eliza expressed her gratitude for all the hard work Lena had put into the L-Phone that Lena stammered, seemingly caught off-guard by the praise. A blush rose to her cheeks, but she quickly collected herself as she tried to brush it off.

“You’re very welcome,” she said. “But I certainly had a lot of help. I’m glad we were able to get it out on the market and help so many people in that way.”

Eliza was having none of it, however, and she reached across the table for Lena’s hand. “I mean it, Lena. You’ve given me such an easy way to keep in contact with my daughter, especially in this day and age when a phone call just might not be possible. And for that I thank you.”

And oh, Lena seemed to just _melt_ at that, at the gentle grip on her hand and the appreciation in Eliza’s eyes. No wonder Kara was so keen to give Lena as many hugs as possible. Alex was half-tempted to get up and give the young woman one right then and there.

(She let Kara do it, though, as they cleared off the table. Kara leaned in close and pressed a kiss to Lena’s cheek in the fading light from the kitchen window, and even Maggie admitted that she wished she had a camera on her.)

…

As soon as everything was cleaned up, thoughts turned to sleeping arrangements, something they hadn’t really discussed previously. Alex quickly claimed the pullout couch in the living room for her and Maggie, knowing Kara would be more comfortable in her old room.

(And well, if it meant the chance to sleep next to Maggie, while Kara and Lena were separated in their own beds, Alex figured it a win-win. She was still the big sister, after all.)

And when they were finally settled in bed later that night, Alex snuggled up against her girlfriend’s side, Alex couldn’t help but think about how much Lena had changed since they had all started getting to know her better.

Maggie was the one to bring it up, as she traced Alex’s cheek with one finger. “I think this has been the first time I’ve seen Lena truly smile all week,” she said quietly. She yawned before she added on to her statement. “Maybe even before that.”

“I know,” Alex said. “She doesn’t show it much, but I know this has been hard for her. But she has us now. All of us.”

“Especially Kara. Kara’s been so good for her.”

“She really has. I know you weren’t there for Lena’s first Game Night, but I remember thinking at first that she seemed cold. Distant, even. But then Kara would speak to her or Winn would do something stupid, and I could see the warmth in her eyes. And then as I watched her open up more and more, I realized she was just lonely.”

Maggie shifted so her head was lying on Alex’s chest, her eyelids drooping. “Kara’s good at rounding up the lonely souls,” she murmured. “Giving them a family.”

Alex had to be careful not to laugh, as she didn’t want to jolt her almost-asleep girlfriend. “Don’t I know it. Do you how many dogs she’s tried to adopt?”

“Hmm,” Maggie hummed. “Lots?”

Alex did chuckle at that. “Yes. Lots and lots.” She kissed Maggie’s forehead and pulled the blanket up over both of them. “Sleep now, babe. Sweet dreams.”

“’Night, Danvers. ’Love you,” Maggie slurred.

“I love you too, Maggie.”

…

Alex was up before the sun – an old habit she could never kick, especially when she was home– and she quietly slipped from Maggie’s grasp and up from the pullout. She changed quickly, careful not to make any noise, lest she wake up the whole house, and grabbed her surfboard before she slipped out the back door.

The sun was just beginning to rise. She had made sure to give her board a good waxing the night before – it had been a while, after all, and she had wanted to be prepared to just get in and go.

She stretched for a bit as she waited for more light. As soon as she deemed it safe, she paddled out, feeling exhilarated the second her body hit the water. She never quite realized how much she missed surfing until she got the chance to do it again.

(She made a mental note to do it more often.)

She quickly lost herself in the waves and the familiar motions, the feeling of her board under her feet. It was sometime later - after the sun had completely risen - when she noticed her girlfriend sitting on the beach, watching her. She waved her arm broadly and grinned when Maggie signaled back. She caught the next wave in, meeting Maggie on the shore.

“’Morning, babe,” Maggie greeted her, holding out the cup of coffee she had brought with her. “It’s not quite fresh off the pot, but I figured I wouldn’t disturb you when you were putting on such a good show.”

Alex took a long sip and smiled. “It’s perfect. Just what I needed. Thank you.” She emphasized her gratitude with a kiss.

“Mmm, Danvers. You’re all salty,” Maggie teased, pulling away. The robe she was wearing opened a bit with the motion, letting Alex see the swimsuit Maggie was wearing underneath.

“You want to come out with me?” Alex asked eagerly.

Maggie looked hesitant, shrugging her shoulders a little. “I don’t know how to surf.”

“But you know how to swim,” Alex countered. “C’mon; it’ll be fun. We can just go out and sit for a while. It’s so peaceful out there. I want to show you.”

Maggie smiled that heartfelt smile that meant something Alex had said had just touched her. (The one that made Alex want to kiss every inch of her face, starting with her adorable dimples. But they were all like that, she supposed.)

“All right,” Maggie agreed. “But if I drown, it’s on you.”

…

“Okay,” Maggie said, reclining back against Alex’s front. “You were right. This is nice.”

They were bobbing up and down with the swells, Alex’s arms wrapped around Maggie’s waist. Alex leaned her chin on Maggie’s shoulder and inhaled deeply, taking the moment in fully. “Told you,” she hummed slightly, completely at ease.

They stayed quiet for some time after that, just enjoying each other’s presence. Alex was close to dozing off when Maggie spoke again. “Looks like we’ve got some company.”

Alex opened her eyes and squinted towards the shore, where she could see Kara and Lena walking ankle-deep into the water. Lena waded out until she was about thigh-deep, and Alex watched in amazement as Kara followed after her, their hands clasped together the whole time.

“Wow,” Alex said.

“What?”

“I haven’t seen Kara go in the water past her toes since middle school,” Alex explained. Even from where they were, Alex could see the radiant smile on her sister’s face. “She was always afraid after she lost her sight completely. She was scared she would step on something or get knocked over unexpectedly, and it was just too overwhelming. But now look at her.”

 “She’s happy,” Maggie agreed.

“Yeah. You know, last night we were talking about how good Kara has been for Lena. But Lena has also been very good for Kara.” Alex mused. “I think Kara was starting to get a little lost before. But then suddenly all she could talk about was Lena this, Lena that, and she was back to her cheerful self.”

“And yet you still didn’t realize how bad Kara had it until I pointed it out,” Maggie goaded.

“Hey, okay, well –”

“Guys!” Kara called, interrupting whatever retort Alex would have come up with. Eliza had come out to join them, although judging by her clothes, she hadn’t come to swim.  “Eliza made breakfast, but we’re not allowed to eat until we’re all at the table, so hurry up and come inside! I’m starving!”

Maggie laughed. “Guess that’s our cue.”

“Yep,” Alex said. She raised her voice to tell everyone they were coming. Then she turned back to Maggie, an idea coming to her. “You wanna try surfing back in?”

Maggie tilted her head back so she could look Alex in the eye, albeit upside-down. “What part of ‘I don’t know how to surf’ did you not get?”

“But we’ll go together. It’s called tandem. You don’t have to know how. I’ll do all the work.” Seeing Maggie’s incredulous look, she added, “I was a surf instructor in high school. I did this all the time. Even the five-year-olds weren’t scared.”

“Breakfast!” Kara shouted again. She was out of the water at this point, hopping up and down. “It’s pancakes! Don’t make me wait for pancakes!”

Maggie relented as Alex pouted out her bottom lip. “Okay. But you have to try vegan ice cream with me. For real this time. It’s only fair.”

“Deal,” Alex agreed easily, her eyes gleaming. 

Alex gave Maggie a few instructions about balance as they waited for a wave, and they managed to catch one after a bit of a wobbly start. Alex even coaxed Maggie into standing up, and her girlfriend let out a whoop as she realized they were actually pulling it off.

Right at the pivotal moment, however, Alex bailed off the back of the board. She fell back into the surf with a laugh, surfacing quickly so she could see what kind of havoc she had wreaked.

By some miracle, Maggie had managed to stay on the board.

Alex couldn’t help but cheer with a laugh. “Go, Maggie!”

Maggie had seemed to realize what had happened and was starting to fail her arms wildly. “Alex!” she shouted in alarm. “How do I stop?! How do I–”

Alex’s laugh blossomed into a full-blown hysterics as Maggie wiped out. She swam back in just in time to watch Lena pull her girlfriend out of the mercy of the waves, the board washing up on shore a few feet behind them.

Maggie was sputtering, her hair disheveled and in her face, and even Lena – stoic and composed Lena – let out a giggle at the sight. Both Alex and Lena laughed even harder as Maggie untangled a clump of seaweed from her hair.

“Looks like she got you back for those pictures, Maggie,” Lena said, peeling off another piece of seaweed from her back.

Maggie side-eyed Lena before glaring daggers at Alex. “I trusted you, Danvers.”

Her girlfriend did not look amused with her arms crossed like that, but Alex could tell she wasn’t really mad. Alex tried to stifle her amusement. “Aww, c’mon, you did really good,” she tried. “Right, Lena?”

Lena just nodded her head, still chuckling. Maggie huffed, but didn’t object when Alex wrapped her in a hug and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Alex promised. “You can even pick the flavor ice cream we have.”

That got a smile out of Maggie. “Yeah?” she asked.

“Yeah.”              

“What’s taking you guys so long?” Kara called from the back door. “I’m dying over here! Hurry up!”

…

It was late that night – while Maggie got ready for a shower and Lena and Eliza were talking excitedly in the living room, probably scheming some big project – that Alex found Kara alone. Her sister was sitting by the window in their old room, lost in thought as she stared out into the night.

Alex knocked softly on the door to announce her presence, even though she knew Kara had probably heard her come up the stairs. “It’s a clear night,” she said softly. “Want to go out for old time’s sake?”

Kara’s expression quickly devolved into a grin, and she needed no further prompting. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

Alex slid the window up and climbed out into the night, reaching in for Kara’s to help guide her. Kara was halfway through the frame before she pulled back suddenly, startling Alex and nearly sending them both sprawling back into the room. “Wait, I need to grab something,” Kara called out.

Alex put her hand on her chest as she watched Kara disappear beyond the frame. “Geez, Kara, give me a heart attack, why don’t you?”

“Sorry,” Kara apologized, sticking her head back out. “Hold this for me, please.” She handed Alex a thin plastic disc, which Alex puzzled over as she finally helped Kara out onto the roof.

Alex maintained a firm grip on Kara’s hand until they both stretched out on their backs, looking up at the sky. Alex squinted at the disc she was still holding, trying to make it out in the moonlight. “What is this exactly?”

Kara reached for Alex’s hand and guided her fingers along the bumps in the plastic. “It’s a star map. Lena got it for me. So I can look at the stars again.”

Alex nearly choked. “Oh my God, Kara. That’s… that’s so cute. And thoughtful. How did you not tell me about this?”

Kara chuckled, her smile wide as she clutched the planisphere to her chest. “I was saving it for a Sister Night. But this is even better.”

“So does this mean you’ve gone stargazing with Lena?”

“Just once. She’d never done it before. I told her we had to get out of the city so she could really see them. I was going to quiz her later, she how much she’s learned. She’s apparently been practicing her astronomy for this trip.”

Alex nudged Kara with her shoulder. “Ugh, were Maggie and I this bad when we first started dating?”

“Um, _hello_ ,” Kara scoffed. “You’re still bad! Are you forgetting that you willingly betrayed the whole dairy industry tonight, Ms. Romantic-Sap?”

“Okay, first of all: I lost a bet. Second of all: vegan ice cream is actually pretty good. You should’ve tried some.”

Kara made a face. “I’ll stick to the cows, thank you very much. But my point was that you have no room to talk.”

A throat clearing from the direction of the open window startled them both. “Is this what you two always used to do?” Lena asked. “Come out to the roof to bicker?”

Alex knew she was joking, but she still answered the question honestly. “There was usually less talking involved. My dad caught us out here once and tried to instill the fear of God into us so we wouldn’t do it again. After that, we did it more quietly.”

Kara sat up and held out her arm. “Come join us,” she called softly. “I can finally show you a real sky. And Eliza won’t get mad. Probably.”

Lena climbed out gingerly and made her way over so she was lying next to Kara. Kara shifted so Lena could have one hand on the planisphere, the couple moving their fingers over it together.

“So I hear someone’s been expanding their knowledge,” Alex said to Lena. “Care if I give it a little test?”

Lena grinned wickedly. “You’re on.”

And they were still out there twenty minutes later when Maggie poked her still-wet head through the window. “There you are! I was started to think you guys left me behind and went somewhere,” she said, already angling her leg through the window. She came and sat in the space above Alex’s head, taking her hands when Alex reached up. “So, what are we looking at?”

“The stars,” Alex said.

“The best view ever,” Kara pitched in.

“So much better than National City,” Lena added.

“Hmm,” Maggie hummed, craning her neck to look as well. “The view from Nebraska might’ve been better, from what I remember. But I think I’m liking this one a lot more.”

Alex tilted her head to see that Maggie wasn’t even looking at the sky anymore. She laughed. “And Kara called _me_ the sap.”

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this pretty much backwards - so if it seems a little disjointed, that's probably why. (Also, I'm too tired to think of a decent ending... Or a title. Oops.)
> 
> Let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading! :)


End file.
